The Birth Of Khalsa

A few days earlier of Baisakhi of Samvat 1756, Guru ji sent messages to his Sikhs all over India and other countries including Kabul and Kandhar to attend the Baisakhi festival.

On receiving the call of the Guru, millions of Sikhs from all over the country thronged towards Anandpur Sahib.

On the day of Baisakhi a big and a beautiful tent was set up at the place of Keshgarh Sahib. Behind the throne of the Guru, a small but beautiful tent was also erected.

Priests were chanting the Asa Di Vaar and the Divine music lifted the audience to celestial height. All eyes were anxiously waiting to have a glimpse of their Dear Guru.

At last the Guru entered inside the tent, all people were amazed to see hm. His eyes were shinning like fire, his face was glowing with a celestial bliss, his naked sword was glittering in his uplifted right hand and his whole body was looking like that of a great warrior, who had just rushed into the battle field.

Instead of sitting on the throne, brandishing his sword high in the air He said with a thundering voice, 'This goddess, Bhagauti is always hungry for the heads, today she wants the heads of my Dear Sikhs. Is there any one among my Sikhs who is ready to lay down his life at a call from me?'

On hearing this call from their Guru, a dead silence prevailed all over the Darbar. None dared to face the Guru, all were seeing towards each other, err the Guru might not read their faces.

The Guru called forth again, but there was no response.

Then the voice of the Guru grew more terrible and He angrily asked for the third time.

At last a Sikh rose up and said, 'O true Lord! My head is always at your service, pardon me true Guru, I have wavered a bit. I would be very happy if this, my worthless head could taste the eternal bliss of your Bhagauti.'

The name of this Sikh was Bhai Daya Ram, a resident of Lahore.

The Guru caught him by his arm and took him into that small tent, which was set up behind his throne.

Then the people heard a severe blow of the sword and a stream of blood rushed out of the tent.

After a dead silent pause, the Guru ji again rushed out of the tent, with his sword dripping with blood and in the same voice demanded another head.

Dead silence again prevailed, but this time Bhai Dharam Chand of Delhi stood up without any hesitation and offered his head.

Similarly, Bhai Dharam Chand was dragged into the tent and he met the same fate.

When the Guru came for the third time with his blood dripped sword, then Bhai Mohkam Chand resident of Dwarka, offered his head gladly to please his Lord. The Guru took him by arm and the same way dragged him into the tent with great hurry and ruthlessness. The congregation again heard the fall of blow and saw the blood streaming out.

When the Guru came for the fourth time with the same sword dripping with blood then Bhai Sahib Chand of Bidar stood up and touching Guru's feet said, 'O my Lord! I am very unlucky and I have taken so long a time to make up my mind. Pardon me and accept my head.'

But the Guru did not care to see towards his face. In great hurry He dragged him into the tent. Another blow of the sword and a fresh flow of blood confirmed the congregation that the fourth Sikh too had been eliminated.

When the Guru again came with his powerful Bhagauti in his hand and asked for another head, then Bhai Himmat Rai of Jagan Nath at once rose up and requested the Guru to grant him the immortal death.

He said, 'I would be very fortunate if my head quenches the thirst of your Bhagauti, this body will not last long. It would fall on one day but if it falls in the hands of my master then my soul would certainly be freed of the worldly bonds.'

The Guru also dragged him into the small tent and he also met the same consequences. All heard same type of sound of falling the sword and similar fresh stream of blood flowing from the tent.

The Sikhs who were sitting out were again seeing towards each other as if searching the face of the next target. There were some who had made up their minds to sacrifice their heads without further delay. But that time the Guru stayed longer in the tent.

But when he came out people were amazed and astonished to see such a change.

The Guru had sheathed his sword. His face was cheerful and satisfied. But the Guru was not coming alone. There were five others, who were looking like him. They were those five who had offered their heads to the Guru.

They were all wearing beautiful long robs and saffron colored Turbans. In appearance they were like the Guru in all departments. Those five had given their heads to the Guru and he had given them his glory and illumination.

The Guru then occupied his seat and addressed the gathering. Then he took pure water in an iron pot and kneeling beside it he kept stirring the water with Khanda and recited the Divine Verses.

When the Divine Song and steel of the Guru was dissolved then the mother of Khalsa pured sugar crystals into it then the Guru again stirred the sacred water so that sugar crystals might be dissolved into it. This sacred water was then called as Nectar or Amrit.

The Guru then stood up with the steel pot of Nectar in his both hands. He asked the five disciples to kneel in a soldierly fashion.

Then the Guru looked into the eyes of each disciple and throw showers of Amrit on their face and in the knots of their hair. That is why every hair of Sikhs is considered sacred for all times. Then He asked them to take the deep droughts of the Nectar from the steel pot.

Thus those five were baptized by Guru. They had been called Panj Payaras or five Beloved Ones.

Then the Guru said, 'From today you belong to Khalsa nation. All your previous castes are erased now. Now you all belong to one family, one nation and one country. You should now be pure in heart, thought, word and deeds. Now you have become fearless, brave and saints. It is now your duty to serve the poor and downtrodden. Now you shall worship none but God. My Sikh will never worship stones, idols, tombs, gods or goddesses.'

Then the Guru asked the Panj Payaras to prepare the Amrit as had been prepared earlier.

When the Amrit was prepared, the Guru asked the Panj Payaras to administer baptism to Him. They were perplexed at that proposal and expressed their unworthiness to do the task.

But the Guru bowed before them and said, 'The Khalsa is the Guru and Guru is the Khalsa, there is no difference between you and me.'

The Guru thus received Amrit from the five Beloved Ones and said, 'From today you are all lions and yours names will now end with word Singh.'

The Guru himself changed his name from Gobind Rai to Gobind singh.

After that the Guru invited others to receive baptism.

Within a few days thousands of Sikhs were baptized. After receiving Amrit they were changed into lion hearted Khalsa from mere humble servants.

The Guru made them take an oath to keep the five Ks namely Kes (Hair), Kangha (Comb), Kirpan (Dagger), Kaccha (Short drawers) and Kara (Steel Bracelet)